This layer displays the estimated monthly cost for housing and transportation for a low-income, single-parent family (earning 50% of the Area Median Income). The values for housing and transportation are modelled by HUD using data from the US Census Bureau and the US Department of Transportation, including:
- The average household size for a single-parent family earning 50% AMI in the nieghborhood
- The average number of workers, vehicles, and vehicle miles travelled for a family in the nieghborhood
- The average utility and rental costs or average utility and mortgage costs for a housing unit to accommodate the family size above
- The proportion of housing units that are either rentals or owner-occupied in the nieghborhood
Note: The LAI does not predict what families earning 50% AMI are actually paying to live in a particular area, but rather what a family would pay (either in USD or as a percentage of income) if average or reasonable housing and commuting conditions for a particular neighborhood were achieved.